Early College High School in Research Triangle Park

The school will be housed at Wake Technical Community College’s new RTP campus. Students will take a blend of high school courses and Wake Tech courses, with a focus on Information Technology and BioTechnology. Students will graduate with a high school diploma and credits toward their Associate in Applied Sciences degree, with the potential to earn enough credits to graduate with an Applied Sciences degree. We also will partner with RTP businesses to provide students with real-world work experience. Graduates will take courses and attain skills that will make them job-ready in two high-demand areas. More information coming soon to wcpss.net/earlycollege

North Wake College and Career Academy

Graduate Profile

Name: Alex Hernandez
College Program Area: Business Administration
College Credit Hours Earned in High School: 39
Higher Education: Clemson University (on scholarship of $28,000 per year)
Career Aspiration: Graphic designer and business owner

Alex says: “I will be the first person in my family to go to college. I’m thankful for my parents, who worked so hard to help me all along the way. And I’m thankful for North Wake College and Career Academy. Without this school, I don’t think I would be going to Clemson to continue to hone by business skills. I started a custom shoe business while in high school, and the teachers and even my classmates were so encouraging. Now I’m filling orders constantly. They really saw that I was interested in this and that I had a natural talent for it and pushed me to keep going with it. That helped me get my confidence and do even more.”

Rashelle and Nelson say: “We are so proud of all that Alex has accomplished already, and we are excited to see him continue to do well in college. His high school has opened so many doors for him, and his future is bright.”

About North Wake College & Career Academy (NWCCA)

NWCCA is a Cooperative Innovative High School for students in Grades 9-12 that focuses on graduating students college and career ready in one of five program areas of study:  

• Business Administration
• Culinary Arts
• Early Childhood Education
• Emergency Medical Science
• Information Technology-Tech Support

NWCCA students have the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma, a Wake Tech certificate, college credits and recognized industry credentials. Learn more at wcpss.net/northwakecca

Vernon Malone College & Career Academy

Graduate Profile

Name: Colin Rourke
Higher Education: Completing electrician certification at Wake Technical Community College
Job Status: Working as an electrician at NES Electrical

Colin says: “I love being an electrician. I definitely like that you have to use both your physical body and your mind. It’s a good mix of both, and you’re neither stuck in an office nor just doing labor. My experience at Vernon Malone has been really great. All my teachers have encouraged me and helped me to continue on my career path.”

Grandmother Angela Nicoll says: “It’s been great that he’s been able to earn a good living while still in high school. It helps a lot that he is able to buy things to support our household, and he’s been able to buy his own tools. His whole experience at Vernon Malone has just been awesome. He just became another person. He became happier and more out of his shell. He felt like he could be himself here. I can’t say enough about what they’ve done for him. Every teacher has really extended themselves to help him.”

About Vernon Malone College & Career Academy (VMCCA)

Through an academic foundation, paired with career-informed courses and work-based learning experiences, VMCCA students will have the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma, a Wake Tech certificate, college credits and recognized industry credentials. The school offers six unique programs:

• Biopharmaceutical Technology
• Cosmetology
• Facility Maintenance Technology
• Nurse Aide
• Simulation and Game Development
• Welding

Learn more at wcpss.net/vernonmalonecca

Wake Early College of Health & Sciences

Graduate Profile

Name: Jenny Nguyen
College Program Area: Dental Hygiene
College Credit Earned in High School: Associate Degree in Science
Higher Education: Currently enrolled in dental hygienist program at Wake Technical Community College. After graduation, she will attend a four-year university and then dental school.
Career Aspiration: Maxillofacial Surgeon 

Jenny says: “WECHS is a place of endless opportunities. The teachers and administrators genuinely encourage, support, and care for each student. I think of the students and staff there as another family, and I truly loved every experience there.”

Mom Lien Nguyen says: “Attending WECHS has been an amazing experience to get a head start with college credit; in addition, it is financially stress-relieving. I am a mom to four daughters, and college tuition for all of them is expensive. Jenny going to WECHS for her high school diploma and receiving an Associate Degree without having to worry about the college tuition, fees, and books have been a great opportunity for our family to save money. I was not able to go to college or a university, so I am so proud of Jenny. She continues to surprise me with how determined she is to pursue her goals.”

About Wake Early College of Health and Sciences (WECHS)

WECHS is an application school focused on health and sciences. WECHS provides students with opportunities to explore careers in the health and sciences through partnerships with Wake Tech and WakeMed Health and Hospitals. This up-to-five-year public high school program allows students to earn their high school diploma and an associate degree, college transfer credit, the prerequisite courses to prepare for a health sciences degree, and/or a health care certificate. Learn more at wcpss.net/healthscienceec

Wake STEM Early College High School

Graduate Profile

Name: Maryam Guerrab
College Credit Hours Earned in High School: 31
Higher Education: Harvard University
Career Aspiration: International Relations

Maryam says: “I will be joining my older brother, also a Wake STEM graduate, at Harvard. I am of course super, super ecstatic - for both my brother and myself. We never thought, growing up, that we’d be going to Harvard. But, honestly, going to STEM changed that. They built you up to feel confident in your professional and academic skills. It opened our eyes to the fact that Harvard wasn’t this impossible thing, that we can go there and succeed.”

Parents Rachida and Boubekeur Guerrab say: “We immigrated from Algeria to give our children more opportunities. Wake STEM has been a tremendous gift to our family, and we could not be more grateful and proud.”

About Wake STEM Early College High School

Wake STEM is a joint project between the Wake County Public School System and N.C. State University. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are a main focus, in addition to the school’s identity as an Early College. Students take college courses at N.C. State as well as the courses required to earn a high school diploma. Learn more at wcpss.net/stemec

Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy

Graduate Profile

Name: Ja’Heim McGee
College Credit Hours Earned in High School: 42
Higher Education: N.C. Central University
Career Aspiration: United States Army officer

Ja’Heim says: “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to join the military. When I began my junior year at Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy, like all students there, I had the opportunity to attend classes at St. Augustine’s University. Myself and a classmate also became one of the first two high school students to join the St. Augustine’s ROTC. I’ve had some great mentors, including LTC Marcus Bynum and CPT Erik Solares. You can feel how powerful and how intelligent they are. I want to have that kind of aura when I get into the military and start leading people.”

Mom Wylene Gray says: “I never would have dreamed my son would have had so many opportunities while still in high school. I feel he is now so well prepared for a successful career and life.”

About The School Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy (WYMLA)

WYMLA prepares young men in grades 6-12 to be leaders, engaged citizens and to receive numerous college credits before graduating high school. Students are offered an accelerated curriculum to prepare them to take college-level courses at St. Augustine’s University as juniors and seniors. Small class sizes and a committed faculty and staff creates a familial atmosphere. Learn more at wcpss.net/wakeyoungmen

Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy

Graduate Profile

Name: Taylor Kerr
College Credit Hours Earned in High School: 42
Higher Education: Spelman College (full scholarship worth $178,240)
Career Aspiration: Psychiatrist

Taylor says: “When I started taking classes at St. Augustine’s, I felt like WYWLA over-prepared us. My high school classes were harder than my college classes. The professors sometimes expect more from us even than the regular college students. If I had not attended WYWLA, I would have never had some of these amazing opportunities. In addition to being able to earn college credits and scholarships, I was a social media marketing intern at a local art studio and participated in mentorship programs at Cisco and at a local non-profit that conducts clinical trials.”

Mom Kenya Moore-Kerr says: “I am so, so grateful for WYWLA. The small class sizes were phenomenal. She had the opportunity for internships in high school and middle school. A steady stream of diverse, strong women leaders were put in front of her who helped her see that what she envisioned was possible.”

About The School Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy (WYWLA)

WYWLA serves approximately 50 students per grade level in grades 6 through 12, emphasizing leadership development, entrepreneurship, and community service. Students are offered an accelerated curriculum to prepare them to take college-level courses at St. Augustine’s University as juniors and seniors. The school supports, enriches, and empowers young women to become learners and leaders in local and global environments. Learn more at wcpss.net/wywla